


[fic] Wet Secrets; Star Trek XI

by tresa_cho



Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mermaid, M/M, Tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-14
Updated: 2011-10-14
Packaged: 2017-10-25 02:43:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/270847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tresa_cho/pseuds/tresa_cho





	[fic] Wet Secrets; Star Trek XI

_**[fic] Wet Secrets; Star Trek XI**_  
 **Title** : Wet Secrets  
 **Author** : [](http://tresa-cho.livejournal.com/profile)[**tresa_cho**](http://tresa-cho.livejournal.com/)  
 **Rating** : PG-13  
 **Fandom** : Star Trek XI

 **Warnings** : horrifically cheesy reunion scene  
 **Summary** : Bones hates getting wet.

Water filling his mouth woke Jim. He gasped, coughing, heaving himself upright in the chair, straining against the straps of the chair. He blinked salt water out of his eyes and realised he was shoulder-deep in water. Hands fumbling with the clasps of his seatbelt, he managed to get it open and he was lifted with the currents of water flooding the compartment.

“Bones!”

Jim reached for the man in the co-pilot's seat, hands plunging beneath the surface to free his CMO from his seatbelt. Bones jerked, shoving at Jim before opening his eyes and twisting to get his bearings. “What happened?”

“We went down during the jump,” Jim said. He tugged Bones free of the chair, pushing him towards the glass of the windshield, keeping him breathing air. Jim floated above his seat, scanning the dark water beneath them, where the door to the shuttle was sunk deep in the ocean.

“Jim, wait-”

Jim ignored him, sucking in a deep breath and ducking under the water. Salt water stung a cut on his head, but he blinked through the pain and struck towards the back of the shuttle. He pried the control panel for the door open, and twisted some of the wires. Nothing happened. The door let out a weak shriek and didn't move. Jim drove his fist into the panel and let out a small burst of air. He pushed off the back wall of the shuttle and burst above the surface, almost colliding with the glass of the windshield.

Bones grabbed him and held him steady, watching his face expectantly.

“Nothing,” Jim said with a short gasp. “The doors are jammed. I can't override it. We have to try and kick the window out.” They both instinctively glanced at the window. It was already submerged, the light from the surface faint and barely glistening.

“We're not gonna make it, Jim,” Bones said in that infuriating drawl of his. Jim scowled.

“We'll make it, Bones. Deep breath.” Jim inhaled as much as he could and arched in the water, bearing his shoulders against the pilot's chair. He slammed his boot against the windshield, the shock reverberating up and down his leg with each strike. He heard Bones splash into the water with him, and the solid thudding of his shoes joining Jim's. The glass was built to withstand the vacuum of space. It was not giving.

Jim turned, lungs burning, and reached for the surface again. The air pocket had shrunk drastically, leaving just enough room for him to clear his face. He coughed, spitting out water, and Bones surfaced beside him, his body warm in the frigid waters. “Fuck. I'm sorry, Bones,” Jim said, his voice hoarse. He strained, arching his neck to keep his face clear. “I'm sorry.”

“It's all right, Jim,” Bones said, strangely calm. “It's okay. Trust me.” It wasn't okay. He was going to die. Drowning was fucking painful- Bones should know that. Their ragged breathing echoed, slapping off the water that was still slowly climbing. “Jim, take a deep breath. Trust me.” Jim had nothing else to do but obey. He filled his lungs as water swept over his nose and mouth, and the ocean swallowed him in silence.

Next to him, Bones was doing something in the water. Jim could barely see, the light filtering through the water was so dim that Bones was just a shadow beside him. He could hear muffled grunting through the water, and the splash of water against the inside of the ship. Bones grabbed his arm, and steered him back down to the back of the shuttle, the part that was well and truly submerged, and Bones held his hand against one of the cargo bay jump seat straps. Jim curled his fingers around it, forcing his heart rate to calm lest he use up his oxygen quicker than he already had, and the next thing he heard was the shriek of metal giving.

Jim squinted itno the ocean water, trying to figure out what the hell was going on, and Bones grabbed his arm again, propelling him forward, down, and through the newly opened shuttle doors. Bones had got them open. How had he gotten them open. Those things were hydraulicly sealed.

They were in open water next, and Bones was dragging Jim through the currents with surprising ease. He didn't know Bones could swim so well. The surface was still hazy, but growing brighter with each stroke, and then they were in air. Jim burst through the surface so forcefully he felt like he was going to fly out of the ocean. He gasped, choking on air flooding into his lungs, and spat, trying to rid himself the taste of salt. Bones' head broke the surface a moment later, equally breathless.

“How did you do that?” Jim asked. “There's no way you could get those open. Those doors weigh at least a metric ton.”

“I'm a special man, James Kirk,” Bones said, the hint of wry humour back in his voice. Jim spun in the water, well aware that the danger hadn't passed yet. The water was cold. If they didn't get out of it soon they'd die of exposure or some other fun thing. Something wet and slimey brushed past his leg. He couldn't bite back the yelp- his teeth were already chattering.

“Bones, there's something down there,” Jim said, striking the water firmly as he spun, kicking out for whatever had touched him.

“Calm down, Jim, there's nothing around us yet. The nearest animals are miles away, scared by the shuttle landing.” Bones didn't quite roll his eyes at Jim, but came pretty close for the fact that they were hours away from rescue.

“Something rubbed against me,” Jim said. He almost leapt out of his skin when he felt it again, and jerked in the water. “Bones. There's something down there.”

“I promise you, Jim, what's down there you don't have to be afraid of,” Bones said. “Come on, let's start heading for a shore.”

“Do you know which direction to head in?” Jim asked hesitantly, eying the sun. The spin into the ocean had disoriented him; he didn't know which way was back to land. Bones nodded, pushing forward through the waves. “Don't you get seasick or something?”

“No. I've never gotten seasick,” Bones said. Jim's eyes went wide when he caught sight of something green and scaly trailing around Bones' shoulders. He lunged at it, forcing himself under the surface. Bones yelped, the sound cut off by water as he too went under, and then his hands were on Jim's shoulders, heaving him to the surface and giving him a firm shake. “Dammit Jim!”

“I saw it!” Jim said forcefully. “It almost had you!” Bones sighed heavily and let go of Jim's shoulders. He leaned back in the water, and as the ocean washed back from his body, Jim stopped breathing. A powerful, green tail sprung from Bones' waist, where his legs were supposed to be. Bones flicked the tail, splashing Jim before lowering himself into the ocean again.

“Happy? It's not going to hurt either of us. The creatures that got a whiff of us, on the other hand, and are on their way right now- they are a different story. We have to get moving.”

“You've got a tail,” Jim said, voice a mere croak. “Tail.”

“Yes, Jim, tail, good job. Let's move before you become a lunch.” Bones scowled, the expression familiar after the image of the fish skin slicking Bones' body.

“You have a tail,” Jim said again, kicking hard to follow after Bones. “Why do you have a tail?”

“Shut up. Less talking more swimming,” Bones said over his shoulder, cutting through the water like he was born for it. Fuck. He was born for it. He had a tail.

“Dammit, Bones! What is going on here?” Jim shouted, spitting out ocean spray. “Why the fuck do you have a tail?”

“Later, Jim. Hurry up. They're getting close. And they are not friendly,” Bones said, turning slightly. His face was pale, paler than normal, and he actually looked worried. Jim grit his teeth and pushed through the resisting ocean after his CMO-turned-fish-thing. Something crested a wave to his right, and he jerked with a splash.

“Bones!”

Ahead of him, Bones disappeared. Jim froze, heart thundering painffully in his chest. Silence surrounded him. He whirled in the throbbing ocean, trying to get eyes on his CMO. “Bones!” Not even a ripple broke the surface. And then, suddenly, a huge splash erupted near him. Bones flew between waves, dragging some sort of creature with him. Jim watched, mouth hanging open as he watched Bones grapple with the creature. They sank beneath the waves again, and it was quiet once more.

“Bones! Bones!” Jim swam towards where he had last seen Bones, the surface now as calm as it could be on the ocean. Minutes passed, and Jim's heart bullied its way into his throat, threatning to choke him. He was about to shout again when Bones' head burst through the surface, panting. “Jesus christ, Bones.” Jim grabbed him, his fingers sliding in blood. “What was that?”

“It was not friendly,” Bones said, panting hard. “We have to get you out of the ocean. There's more coming and I can't protect you from all of them.”

“You're bleeding.”

“I'll be fine,” Bones said, grabbing Jim under the elbow and shoving him. “Move. Move.” He dragged and pushed Jim through the waves, egging and goading him to lift his arms over and over again to continue swimming. Jim couldn't feel his limbs after an hour of relentless fighting with the waves. Bones' voice at his side was the only thign that kept him going. Bones swam a little ahead of him, and Jim felt his vision fuzz oddly around the edges. Everything appeared sharper, as if someone had turned up the contrast in his brain. Heh.

Bones turned and shouted something at him, but Jim coudln't hear it. He was going to take a little nap. Then get back to swimming. That's what Bones wanted...

When Jim became aware of himself next, he was on his back, dry, and not cold. He jerked up right, and Christine Chapel smiled at him, a padd in her hands. “Morning, Captain,” she said. “How do you feel?”

Jim pressed the heel of his hands into his eyes. “Worst nightmare ever. Bones had a tail. He was some sort of merman. Ugh. I have to lay off the booze before I go to bed, I think.” When he lowered his hands, Christine was looking at him oddly. “What?”

“Sir, Doctor McCoy has been missing for two days. You've been unconscious for that long. Spock and Lt Sulu are planetside, trying to determine the wherabouts of the doctor,” she said quietly.

“What?” Jim blinked at her. “Come again? What do you mean, he's missing? He was... He was right there with me.”

“The Telarians hailed us and told Spock that they had found you in their ocean. You shuttle had gone down, and they had recovered you. There was no sign of Doctor McCoy at all.” Christine gripped the padd slightly tighter, her knuckles going white. “There's been no report.”

“That's impossible. McCoy was right with me. He... He had a tail. Or something.” Jim pushed back the sheets on the bed and stood, his legs shaking slightly but holding. “I'm going to the bridge.” Christine nodded, tapping something into her padd before handing him a spare set of clothes.

Jim trotted to the bridge, going as fast as he felt his legs could carry him. Chekov and Uhura greeted him when he shouldered through the automatic doors to the bridge. “Uhura, report,” Jim said sharply. She stood at attention and delivered almost the same synopsis that Christine had given him. “The Telarians know something. McCoy was with me in the shuttle. We both made it out. He's alive. Tell Spock to use whatever means necessary to get information about him. I know he's down there somewhere. There's no way we were separated. He was injured, he couldn't have gotten far.”

Uhura nodded, sitting down at her work station to relay a message to Spock and Sulu. Jim wanted to go down there, to help them, but he was almost positive Spock would just Pinch him and return him. Sneaky bastard. “They're on their way back, Captain,” Uhura reported a short time later. Jim nodded, pushing himself out of the captain's chair to head to the transporter room.

He got there in time to see Spock and Sulu stepping off the pad, soaked to the bone with thei planet's perpetual rain storms. Rain and fog, and an endless ocean... Jim shuddered upon recalling the chill of the ocean.

“Your rescue seems to have been most miraculous,” Spock said, stepping down from the transporter pad. “The native peoples have no recollection of Doctor McCoy. They did give us the coordinates of the downed shuttle, however. We will be able to dredge it and recover the evidence to determine exactly what happened.”

“Spock, he was injured. There's not many places he could go. Did you check the hospitals?” Jim asked urgently. “He- He was in a fight with a sea creature.”

“McCoy?” Sulu's eyebrow rose before Spock's did. “Fighting sea creatures?”

“He... He had a tail and he was fighting... something.” Jim closed his mouth before he said something he was going to regret. Spock stared at him curiously.

“Doctor McCoy does not have a history of combatant tendencies. And if I remember correctly, he does indeed possess two legs.”

Jim snarled at Spock, stepping up onto the transporter pad. “One to beam down, Scotty. I'll find him.” Sulu cast a glance at Spock, and they both climbed up onto the pad. “Three to beam down,” Jim corrected himself. Scotty nodded as Uhura flew into the room, hair swaying as she planted herself behind Scotty, hands firm on the back of his chair. The pad whirled and Jim's ship vanished.

Scotty put them down in the town square, where Jim had lifted off from days before. The rain was intense, pounding along the streets and buildings, painting the sky grey. Jim didn't wait for Spock or Sulu to follow him, just pushed his way into the crowd of Telarians towards the embassy where they had met with several ambassadors of this planet. He stormed into the embassy, not pausing to shed his soaked shoes as was Telarian custom.

“Sir.” Sulu grasped Jim's arm, yanking him to a halt. “I understand you're anxious, but remember the Federation wants this treaty.” Jim scowled, but removed his shoes and tossed them at the entranceway. Uhura pushed through the embassy doors, striding right up to Spock.

“None of you speak Telarian,” she said. Jim stamped down hard on his anger. He was losing it. He had to maintain his cool or risk the entire treaty. Uhura walked past him as he composed himself, walking straight past the line of Telarians to cut in front of the administration desk. “Excuse me,” she said in perfect tonal Telarius. “I need to speak with your supervisor.”

The Telarian balked, but waved over someone dressed in a snappy navy blue suit. He stepped around the desk and dropped into a terse conversation with Uhura. She waved Jim over after the exhange, and they followed the Telarian into a backroom of the embassy.

Once the crew of the Enterprise was firmly ensconced in the room, the Telarian shut the door and locked it. “I do not know what happened to your crew,” he said. “But I hear rumour.”

“What rumour?” Jim asked, arms clenched tightly around his chest.

“We have not been entirely truthful with you, Enterprise,” the Telarian said. “We are not the only race to exist in this quadrant.”

“Oh?” Spock's ears twitched slightly, and he turned his head just a bit in curiosity.

“There is another race, living within our ocean and swampland. They are creatures of evil and beauty, who tempt my people to their deaths. We have only just started to combat their natural allure. They are called the Sluisas. They have for years brutally murdered my people.” The Telarian flushed orange.

“How? Why haven't we seen any of this race?” Sulu asked.

“They beguile my people into the ocean to drown,” the alien said. “Their songs are nearly impossible to resist. That is why we wear these necklaces.” He pointed to the medallion on his chest. “When we harnessed the power of sound we were able to successfully block out their call. Now they have no power over us.”

“Siren's song,” Jim said incredulously.

“There is talk of a slave broker who captured a Sluisas unlike no other. Male. It does not sing like the others. Very rare.” The Telarian's eyes shifted around the room. “Rumour says it was captured two days ago just off shore.”

Jim saw red.

“Where?” he demanded. “Where do we find this slave broker?”

The Telarian gave them instructions to the house, and Jim led the way back out into the driving rain. With Uhura at his side, it did not take them long to find the sprawling grounds barred off by steep metal fences. Sulu popped the gate open in under five minutes, and Jim pushed inside the compound.

Shallow pools of clear water decorated the vast yard, and two Telarians approached them when they neared what appeared to be the main house.

“Halt,” one said.

“I'm here to see the head of this house,” Jim said. “I need to speak with him about what possibly may be one of our crew.”

“We hold no bipedals here,” the Telarian said. “Only scum of the sea.”

“Well, that is promising.” Jim stared at the grounds. Each pool hosted a Telarian guard, wielding a stave. “I heard you may have something interesting.”

“I know not of what you speak.”

Jim sighed. “Look, you got a name?”

“My name is Glocknur.”

“Okay Glocknur. I'm going to clue you into a little secret. You have one of my crew.” Jim watched the Telarian closely. “And I protect mine. Now you can either let us in without issue, or the wrath of Starfleet will come down so hard on your head, your boss won't be able to identify your teeth.”

Glocknur flinched. He glanced at his unfortunate partner. They both nodded, and turned towards the building. Jim followed close on their heels. He could hear a strange humming noise the closer they got to the house proper. Gloknur opened the door and let them all inside. “Which way to the boss' room?” Jim asked once inside.

Glocknur led them around a generous flight of stairs towards the back of the house. He pushed through a set of expansive double doors and stood aside to let Jim and his crew pass. Jim paused inside the threshold. The room was darkened, one wall taken up entirely by a tank of water. A desk sat in front of the tank, a Telarian calmly reading over paperwork while dim light filtered haltingly through the water.

“Good god,” Sulu breathed behind Jim.

Bones floated against the tank wall, pounding at the glass to get the Telarian's attention. Light glistened off blue-green scales that slipped effortlessly into pale skin along his torso. Huge gills flapped along is ribs, and translucent spines arched off his elbows. He caught sight of Jim and his eyes went wide. Jim started, lurching for the window even as Bones disappeared into the grimy water. Jim slammed his palms against the window and whirled on the Telarian, who stood swiftly.

“Can I help you, Enterprise?” he said smoothly.

“That's one of my crew. I demand on grounds of our treaty in which your people agree to honour and respect members of the Federation that you release him at once,” Jim said tightly. He clenched his hands into fists.

“Ah, but your treaty only concerns the Telarian race.” The Telarian placed his hand against the window and smiled slightly. “It also mentions that we are to continue our cultural practices as before interference from Starfleet. Which, as I'm sure you've found, includes the care and keeping of pets.”

“That's not a pet, that's a sapient being that you are effectively holding hostage,” Jim said.

“I don't ever recall seeing a Sluisas on your crew,” the Telarian said. “Your crew was composed of bipedals. This particular specimen was picked up in our ocean a few days ago. He is an undiscovered species of Sluisas. Our veterinarians will enjoy dissecting him. After I've made my money off him, of course. Such a rare specimen. He doesn't sing, and he is more brilliantly coloured than any Sluisas we have seen before.”

“How much?” Jim asked. The Telarian smiled, pulling back thin lips across long white teeth.

“Oh Enterprise. Any price you could come up with has already been tripled. You could never afford him.” He stepped back from the glass. “I will grant you private time, however, in deference to the treaty between our nations. Glocknur. If you would.” The Telarian gestured to Jim. Glocknur nodded and stepped from the room. Uhura and Sulu followed. Jim fell into step with Spock.

“He is unfortunately correct, Captain,” Spock said. “We may be able to argue our case using DNA evidence that Doctor McCoy is indeed part of our crew, but the treaty mentions nothing concerning the treatment of the Sluisas race.”

“You're telling me they're caging him on a technicality?” Jim asked sharply. Glocknur opened a door. Fresh air struck Jim's face, along with the ever-present rain. They climbed a staircase that opened onto a pool deck. The tank was surrounded by a fence. Jim ran to the edge and grasped the rail hard, leaning over.

“Sir-” Sulu got out before Jim vaulted the fence and splashed into the water.

Frigid water closed over his head, shocking the air from his lungs in a sharp gasp. Hands hooked under his arms and lifted him even as he choked on water. They burst through the surface.

“Damn it, Jim! What the hell are you doing?”

“Bones.” Jim dug his fingers into Bones' arms. “Oh god. I'm going to get you out of here.” Bones was so pale. His eyes were ringed with dark circles.

Something splashed behind Bones. He shoved Jim against the wall and turned in the water. His chest vibrated with the force of his growl, and Jim felt a chill slip down his spine. Something grabbed his ankle and yanked hard. He yelped, but Bones kept him above the water with a bruising grip. He held Jim against the wall with one arm, dipping beneath the surface. The hand released Jim's ankle, and Bones surfaced again.

“Bones, what-”

A creature surfaced. Black eyes set against grey, hairless skin. The creature hissed at Bones. Bones sank low in the water, till it touched his chin, still holding Jim caged in his limbs. A strange, trilling noise came from Bones. Jim realised he was hearing the siren's song.

The creature slipped beneath the surface. Bones' hold loosened. He turned. Jim couldn't hold on tight enough. “What was that?” he asked.

“That was a Sluisas. They're imprisoned peoples here,” Bones said. “They hate land walkers. For good reason. I can't leave them, Jim.”

“Bones, we can't interfere,” Jim said.

“They're slaves, Jim,” Bones said. A small wave washed over Jim's lips and he licked away salt with a grimace. “Sometimes worse.”

“Don't argue with me now, Bones,” Jim said. Bones didn't. He glanced up and signaled someone. Before Jim could protest, Bones grabbed him under the arms and lifted him from the water. “Bones!” Two sets of hands grabbed his arms and pulled him bodily from the water.

Sulu and Spock dumped him on the deck in a splash. Uhura stepped back to avoid the water. Jim grunted, glaring at his crew. Spock crouched beside him, lowering his voice. “I believe there are more subtle ways of assisting Doctor McCoy,” he said. “These tanks are controlled by computer system that is moderately simple to break in to. I have an idea.”

Jim quieted, letting Sulu walk him away from the tank, away from Bones. His wet clothes stuck to him, rubbing skin raw in some places. “If I may utilise your computer system to send a message to our ship,” Spock said. Gloknur nodded, leading them back inside towards one of the comm panels attached to the walls. “Thank you.”

Jim watched Spock deftly cut through the Telarian's shoddy security. If Gloknur knew what he was doing, he gave no sign of it, staring woodenly at the door while he waited for them to finish. Spock nodded to Jim, and closed the comm unit without a word. Gloknur gestured to the door. “Thank you,” Spock said.

Sulu's hand fisted tightly in the back of Jim's shirt, propelling him forward, back out into the rain.

“Now what?” Jim asked. “What did you do, exactly?”

“I extrapolated that the tank was filled by the ocean, due to the particular pigmentation of the water and the plants around the bottom of the tank. There had to be a vent somewhere, filling it.” Spock took last look back at the house as they passed through the outer gates. “I simply overrode the controls centering around the vent. It will now remain open for the unforeseeable future.”

“Where does it lead?”

“The ocean.”

“Let's go,” Sulu said, his fingers tightening.

The trek to the beach was wet and rough. The Telarians, in their fear of the ocean and the Sluisas, had not created paths leading to the ocean. They had to climb their way through the forest surrounding the town. When Jim caught sight of the ocean, he bolted towards the shore, pulling free of Sulu's grasp.

The ocean crashed against the sand. Sulu and Uhura stopped beside Jim, eyes on the water.

“He could be anywhere,” Sulu said.

“Statistically speaking, he will arrive at the point giving him the greatest chance of being rescued,” Spock said from where he stood a few feet back. “Which is this shore.”

Uhura moved forward a slight step. “I hear something,” she said. “Singing.” She took another step forward. Spock reached out and gripped her elbow.

“The siren's song,” he said. His fingers pressed bruises into her skin.

Something dark broke the surface just beyond the surf. Jim watched it draw close. A head of brown hair. Jim stepped forward. A wave crashed over the head, and it disappeared before emerging once again. Bones rose from the rolling surf, shaking water out of his hair as he drew closer to the shore.

“Bones.” Jim darted forward, splashing through shallow waves. Bones caught sight of him and pushed through the water quicker. Jim crashed hard into Bones, throwing his arms around his shoulders. Bones stumbled, pulling Jim close against him. “You all right?”

“ 'm all right, Jim.” He breathed out hot and wet against Jim's skin. Jim gripped his arms and pulled back.

“You and I. We're going to have a talk. A long talk.” Jim shook him once. Bones nodded, swallowing.

“They're all out,” Bones said. “They headed off to their homes.” He gestured to the ocean. “Thanks, Jim.”

Jim stripped off his gold tunic, wrapping it around Bones' waist and cinching it tight. Bones weathered the care with a wry smile, his fingers loose around Jim's wrist the entire time.

“We'll talk to the Admirals,” Jim said. “The Ambassador assigned the Telarians will handle the slavery issue. The Sluisas will be taken care of, Bones. I promise it.”

“Thanks. We don't... find many like me.” Bones shifted in the water. Jim nodded.

Jim tugged him from the surf to their waiting crew. Spock's lips lifted slightly. “Five to beam up, Scotty.”


End file.
